Manufacture of ampoules



May 12, 194,2.

J. DICHTER MANUFACTURE 0F AMPOULES 6 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1939 May 12, 1942.

' J. DICHTER l2,282993 `MANUFAGTURE oF AMPOULES Filed March-7, 1939 6 sheets-sheet s' Lid/H205 .5y M ,6, 6M

May 12, 1942. J. DICI-:TER

MANUFACTURE OF AMPOULES `6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 7, 1959 12, 1942.. J. DICHTER 222993 MANUFACTURE oF AMPoULEs Filed March 7, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Application March 7, 1939, Serial No. 260,398 l In Germany March 23, 1938 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of glass receptacles, and more particularly to the reshaping of glass tubing to form ampoules having an elongated neck portion thereonsuch as described in the patent to Jakob Dichter, No. 1,962,985, dated June 12, 1934.

It is common practice to form the reduced neck portion of an ampoule by heating a limited length of glass tubing between twocold portions thereof and then moving the cold portions away from each other to draw-or elongate the heated portion so that the drawingv will effect a reduction of the diameter of the tubing to thus form the neck. This neck portion will, of course, be tapered.

In the manufacture of ampoules, the burners employed vto heat the section which is drawn out, define the limits of that portion of the tubing which will be softened by the heat. It is desirable in some cases subsequently to heat the tube further beyond the limits referred to during the drawing operation. This can be done only by the employment of additional burners or abnormally long burners, since, in the present practice, the burners have a movement only transverse to the axis -of the tube.

One of the objects of the present invention is to so mount the burners that they are not only movable transversely with respect to the axis of the tube, but also in a direction parallel to the axis of the tube.

It is also an object of the invention to employ means `for moving the burners longitudinally of the tube, which means may be adjustable to control the rate of drawing and thus produce a neck on, the ampoule which may be tapered, or cylindrical, or of stepped formation.

It is also an object of the invention to form a preliminary constriction in the tube prior to the drawing operation and then to progressively heat the tube along its length during the drawing operation not only to produce the desired form of neck on the ampoule, but to control wall thickness in the drawn portion of the tube.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description thereof laken in connection with the accompanying drawings. in which- Fig. 1 is a partial elevation of the machine. parts thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation of a modified form of the machine shown in Fig. l, parts thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic developed elevation of the drawing mechanism and the means, for

controlling longitudinal movement of the burners: p

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic developed elevation of a modified form of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view of the mech-l anism for elevating a gauge plate and burners; Fig. 6 is an elevation. of supplemental means for rapidly reciprocating the burners at one of the stations in the machine;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section of a cam track for controlling vertical movement of the lower Agripping chuck;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view partly in section of means for controlling the transverse movement of certain of the burners and constricting tools;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the i mounting for a pair of burners for locally heating a portion vof a length of tubing; .E n

Fig. 10T isa fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of mechanism for actuating the constricting tool; v

Fig. l1 is a fragmentary topplan view of a modified form of mounting for a pair of burners, similar to that shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary front elevation of a bracket on which the burners are mounted;

Fig. 13 is a partial top plan view of a valve for controlling the supply of gas to the burners;

Fig. 14 is a'top plan view of another portion of the gas supply valve;

Fig. 15 is a top plan' view of another form of gas supplyV valve;

Fig. 16. is a fragmentary front view of a tool designed to constrict the tube when heated;

Fig. 17 is a partial top plan view of the tool shown in Fig. 16, showing the relation of the burners thereto;

Fig. 18 is a partial front view of another type of shaping tool;

Fig. 19 is a top plan view of the tool shown in Fig. 18, indicating its relation to a burner;

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic illustration of the manner in which ampoules may be separated from a length of tubing by means of opposed burners;

Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 20, butin which the tube is separated at the juncture of the reduced neck with the main body of the tubing;

Fig. 22* is a fragmentary view of an ampoule having a constriction between the neck and the large portion of the ampoule;

1"ig, 23 illustrates the manner in which a pair of ampoules are separated from each other by burners operating on the neck portions thereof;

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary perspective View of a Figs. 25 and 26 are fragmentary views of other forms of bottom shaping tools; and

. Fig. 27 is a front view of an ampoule having a plurality of reduced neck portions adapted to be made on the present machine.

- In the drawings, the base of the machine is indicated at I. Fixed to this frame is a shaft 2 upon which are rotatably mounted upper and lower plates or spiders 3 and 5 'connected to each other by means of tie rods 6, so that the spiders rotate about the shaft 2 at the same speed. Also rotatably mounted on the shaft 2 -is a spider 4 adapted to rotate at the same speed as spiders 3 and 5 and carrying the burners and constricting tools used to heat and shape the tube. Mounted in suitable bearings attached to the upper and lower spiders is a pair of parallel vertical rods 1, 'I' adapted to support a plurality of pairs of gripping devices or chucks 8 and I0. Each upper chuck 8 is so mounted that its bearing has no relative vertical movement with r espect to the supporting rods, while each lower 'chuck IIi is mounted so that its bearing II may be reciprocated longitudinally of the supporting rods. These chucks are adapted at certain stations to grip the tube blanks 3 so that the tubes may be stretched or drawn when heated to form a reduced neck portion. Normally the chucks are closed by means of the springs I2, I2', but are opened at certain stations by mechanism to be described "hereinafter,

The main drive shaft foroperating the ma- .chine is indicated at la on which are mounted pulley I4 and bevel gear II. Pulley I4 drives a worm gear I by means of the belt or chain I8. worm gear I5 in turn driving worm wheel I6 secured to spider 5. Bevel gear I1 meshes with a second bevel gear I1' secured to shaft 2II `iournaled in bearing I9, there being secured to shaft 20 a gear 2I meshing with a freely rotatable ring gear 22 adapted to drive` shaft 25 through gear 26 secured to the shaft 25.

-Mounted rigidly on frame: vI and within the v ring gear 22 is a disc 24 acting as a bearing for the ring gear. This disc is provided with arcuate grooves 39, 3 9', and 39", as indicated in'Flgs. 13 and l5, the purpose of which willbe explained hereinafter. Mounted for rotation on disc 24 is a second disc 24' which is movable with spider 5 and fhas a plurality of openings 24", one for each station, connected with flexible couplings Y 35 through which gas is supplied to burners 35,

35'. Chucks 8 and I0 are driven, respectively,

through gears 21, 29, 30 and 28, 23', 32, lthere being similar sets of gears; for each pair of chucks. It is to benoted that gear 28 is splined on shaft 25 so that ,it is slidably axially with respect to the shaft but turns therewith. In

this manner the chucks are driven in the same direction and at the same speed.l Gear 28 is supported on collar 33 which, through yoke 34 on bearing II, is adapted to follow vertical movement of the bearing so that the gears 28, 23' and 32 move together.

The means for controlling vertical reciprocations of the lower chucks I3 include a cam track.

48 having adjustable portions 4I, 42, 43 and 44 thereon. vEach of the bearings II is secured to a rod guided in bearing 43 and having at its lower end a cam follower 45' adapted to ride on the cam track. It will thus be apparent that as ,low portions of the cam track, the lowcr chuck be lowered to draw this heated portion and produce a reduced neck.

4 Secured to shaft 2 is a non-rotatable spider 4l to whichis adjustably secured an upper cam track 48. This cam track may be a single element which, in its developed form, is shown in Fig. 3, or it may have auxiliary portions 91., 98, and 35, as indicated in Fig. 4. These auxiliary portions are adjustable with respect to the main track so as to vary the height of the cam at different stations and thus'control the vertical movements of the burners.

vBurners 35 and 35 are secured to a bracket 84 which in turn is fastened to -rod 49 having at its upper end a cam follower adapted to ride on track 48. As the spiders rotate, carrying with them the chucks and burners, the rod 43 lowers and elevates the burners in accordance with the risers or dwells in the cam track. It is thus apparent that the burners will not remain in a'single horizontal position as the glass is' drawn, but willbe elevated to progressively heat the tube as it is drawn. In other words, as chuck I8 is lowered, the burners 35, 35' are elevated so that, instead of obtaining a tapered neck, the neck will he drawn from successive portions of the tube and will be substantially 84 may be adjusted with respect to each other by means of nuts 5I on the threaded spindle 83 in bracket 84 as shown in Figs. 11 and l2. It is therefore, apparent that the distance between the burners can be variedat will to compensate for varying diameters of the tube from which the ampoules are made. A

In Figs. 1 to 4. it willbe seen that an abutment 52, adjustably xed on post |02, is adapted to engage yoke 52' cooperating with chuck 8 to elevate the chuck against spring I2' and thus open the chuck. This opening of the upper* chuck occurs at the first station during the operation .of the machine and permits the tube blank to fall a predetermined distance before the chuck is again closed. -The lower chuck is provided with a lever 53 having an irregular shaped face cooperating with a stud 3'I thereon to move the chuck head and thereby open and close the chuck' against spring I2. It will be seen that at the first station, chuck III is in its lowest position and is open. At the second station it has been elevated to receive the end of the glass tube` held by chuck 8 which is closed as it moves from station I to station II, and immediately thereafter lever 53 engages abutment 53' at which time lever 53 is rocked to permit spring I2 to close the chuck andA grip the end of the blank. Lever 53 remains in this position until after it has passed station VlI, when it-engages abutthe Yfollower rises and falls with the high and rAs shown in Fig. 7, rods 45, as well as rods 63,

I at which time the are provided with auxiliary track followers 63 adapted to ride on the adjustable portions of cam tracks 40 and 46. The tracks 40 and 48 may be lower chuck'is closed by the abutment 53. At f station III the constricting tools 55 are brought `into engagement with the relatively narrow moved in their entirety axially with respect to the spiders 3 and 5. It will be seen that track 48 is suspended from arms 41 and held thereto by means of set screws 41'. This permits adjustment of the upper track. The lower track 40 is supported by rods 13 slidable in bearings 12 and secured to arms 14 mounted for vertical movement on threaded shaft v15 secured to the base of the machine. By turning the hand wheel 16, the Varms 14, rods 13, and track may be elevated or lowered, as desired.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that there is pivoted atA 54 to spider 4 aA plurality of arms 56, each carrying a tool55 at one end thereof and a cam follower 51 at the other end thereof. There are also mounted on the spider a plurality of burners 62 pivotally mounted at |54 along with arms |56 having cam followers |51 thereon. The cam followers cooperate, respectively, with cams 58, 58'secured to shaft 2. If desired, cams 58, 58 maybe made in two parts and be adjustavble to vary the time during which the burners away from the and tools are moved toward or tube to be heated and shaped.

A modified form of mechanism for reciprocating the tool is shown in Fig. 10, in which the tool, instead of being pivotally mounted, is slidably mounted on the spider, the degree of engagement of the tool with theheated tube being controlled by an adjusting screw 59, or, if desired, the cam may be made in two parts and adjustable to vary the time during which the tool is moved into engagement with the tube.

The tool may have a smooth face, or it may have its corners beveled and, if desirable, have a circumferential rib 60 thereon, as indicated in Fig. 16. The face of this tool is relatively .narrow and it is intended that it be employed to form a constriction in the tube after it has been heated but prior to the drawing operation which forms the elongated reduced neck on the ampoule. The tools 6|, 6|' are employed to form a constriction, such as shown in Fig. 22, bet'ween the neck and body portion of the ampoule. Burners 62 heat the tube prior to constriction by tools 6|, 6|'. In some ampoules this constriction ispermitted to remain in the neck, although the tool may be used for preliminary constriction and thus expedite fire separation and closing of the end of the tube by burners, as shown in Fig. 21. The means for operating these last-mentioned tools consists of a cam 58", shown in Fig. 1, cooperating with cam follower 51' and lever 56.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a bracket 60 forming a shelf or gauge plate is adjustably fixed on post |02 by means of set screw 66. At station I, both chucks are open and a finished ampoule has just been removed from the lowerA chuck. As the upper chuck is opened by the cam or abutment 52, the tubing 9 is permitted to dropv until it rests on the gauge plate 64. The position of the gauge plate. determinesl the length of tubing whichwill be gripped by the chucks during subsequent operations. An auxiliary chuck opening mechanism is shown at 65, and comprises a lever arrangement for lifting the jaws against springs |2'. Thispermits opening of the upper chuck at any of the stations.

After the tube has been gripped by the upper chuck, it is moved from station I to station II, burners begin to heat the tube. Immediately after passing station II, the

heated zone of the tube to form a preliminary constriction therein. lA t' subsequent stations IV and V, it will be seen that the lower chuck, following track 40 and its adjustable parts 42 and 43, draws the heated portion of .the tubing and thereby reduces its diameter. At the same time the burners through the rods 49 and upper track 48 are slowly elevated to heat successive portions of the tube-above that portion which is being drawn. In-this manner, the cold portions of the tubing above the constricted part are progressively heated and, instead of a tapered neck being formed, the reduced drawn portion'is substan-` tially cylindrical. l

At station VI, it will be seen that the auxiliary constricting tool 6| and burner 62 are brought into play to form a constriction in the neck adjacent the larger body portion of the ampoule.

At station VII, the upper end of the ampoule neck is separated from the tubing by means of burners 35, 35'. and the lower chuck isopened by abutment 19. Suitable means are then provided to release the shaped ampoule from the lower chuck. It will be seen that at station VIII, the upper chuck is also opened and the tube has begun to drop to the position shown atthe initial station. It will be understood that the burners 62 are moved transversely with respect to the tubing by Lmeans of the cam mechanisms previously referred to and gas supplied thereto by means of the valves 23, 23. Suitable pilot ames (not shown) are spaced at intervals to permit the burners to be reignited at the several stations.

It will be seen that the burners 35, 35' are connected to a flexible connection 36, pipes 80. elbows 8|, 0|', and a T-connection 65. Although the connections between the valves and burners areshown at only one station, it `1sto be understood that there is a pair of burners and44 connections therefor at each of the stations inr dicated. There is also a burner 62 connected to the upper valveg23, 23 through the flexible connection 68,

The upper and lower tracks may be so formed that the `relative movement of the chucks with respect to each other are so controlled that the diameter of the reduced neck portion may be varied, as shown in Fig. 2'?. This may be done by a relatively rapid movement of the burners over one portion of the tube and then a slower movement of the 'burners over another portion of the tube.

In the modified form of the machine shown in Fig, 2, it will be seen that there are mounted on post |02 a pair of brackets |03, |03'. supporting a guide bar |06 and a threaded `rod |06. Slidably mounted on post |02 and bar |04 and Vadapted to be vertically adjustable thereon are latteralso being pivotally connected to a rock lever |09 journaled at |09' to the frame of the machine. Cam |08 cooperates with a follower |08' bracket |05 at predetermined intervals. This is done so that gauge plate 64 may be raised to minimize the drop of the glass tube as when the on lever |09 to elevate link ||0 and with it grooved cam |22.

at the same time it is' desirable te elevate the burners when plate 6I is raised.` Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that burner 35 is mounted on bracket 8| which in turn is secured to rod 43.

The upper end of rod 49 is provided with pins 5 H8, the latter being engaged by a yoke III' at the end of lever H9 pivoted on bearing Il'. Lever H9 is provided at its other end with a roller or follower H9 engageable with a cam H4 on collar H4. Adjustably fastened to post 10 |02 is a bracket I to which is pivoted lever II'2, the latter being connected by link` H3 to the collar H4, It will be seen that collar Hl is slldable on rod |04 and is provided with a guide pin H6 slidably cooperating with guide H5. .Lever l5 H2 is normally held in the position shown in Fig. by a spring H2' connected to one end thereof. At its other end the lever |I2 is threaded to receive an adiustable stop bolt H1.

It will, therefore, be seen that when plate 64 has 20 been elevated suiliciently to engage bolt H1, cam I I4' will engage the follower on lever H3, whereupon rod I9 and the burner carried thereby will be elevated.

In Fig. 6 is shown another form of burner ele- 25 vating mechanism for moving the burners 35, 35' rapidly from one position to another at station V. It is obvious that it might de difficult to effect this rapid movement solely with a cam track. In this mechanism it will be seen that lever |2| is pivotally connected to journal i2. and is adapted to be oscillated by means of a Lever |2| is .connected by means of link |21 to rod |26 slidably mounted in brackets |25 and |25' secured to post |24 fixed 35 in bearing |23. At its upper end the rod |26 carries a collar I|28 having a cam piece |22' thereon. When rod |26 is depressed, it acts to raise rod IS and burner carried thereby.

With this arrangement the burners 35, 35' 40 may be employed not only to soften the tube prior to drawing and constriction thereof, but for separation thereof from the tube. It is for this reason that grooves 33, 3S', 39" are provided in .valve 24, certain 'of the grooves being connected 45 to a supply of gas and air of predetermined proportions designed to produce a softening flame, while the other grooves supply a mixture of different proportions, intended to produce an intense or cutting flame.

In machines wherein the spiders carrying the chuck rotate continuously, it may be desirable to substitute for the gauge plate il, bottom shaping members such as shown in Figs. 24, 25, and

26.= It is frequently customary when separating the shaped ampoule from the tubing supported by the upper chuck to employ name separation. While the end of the tubing is still hot and plastic, it may be dropped on the bottom shaping tools supported by bracket IIS' as shown in Pig. 24, and, since it is' being rotated, it will receive a shape corresponding to the cross section of the groove formed in the shaping members |23, |30, or |3|; that is, it may be asemi-spherical bottom corresponding to the groove in member |29, or a flat bottom as shaped by the groove shown in Fig. 25, or a T-shaped bottom, if it engages a Shaper such as'shown at |3| in Eg. 26. If desirable, air under pressure may be admitted.

tothe interior of the tube through the open upper`end thereof to facilitate the shaping of the bottoms of the tube.

While several arrangementso! burners have been illustrated and various forms of ampoules shown, it is to be understood that the mechaany one of several ways. vFor instance, in Fig.

20 .a double ampoule, that is one having two.

bulb portions and a single neck, may be shaped -after which the shaped article may be separated from the tubing by a flame directed at the point indicated in this gure, or, if desired, the reduced neck section may be separated at its juncture with the largerportion of the tube, as 'shown in Fig. 2l. It is also possible to separate the formed ampoulefrom the tubing by separation of portions ot the reduced neck intermediate its length, as shown in Flg. 23. In this figure, it will be noted that the neck is constrictedby tools at the juncture-of the main body of the ampoule with the neck portion.

While preferred embodiments of the machine have been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of modification and it is, therefore, not intended that it be limited to the exact details shown and described herein. v 4

Having described my'inventio'm'what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a machine of the class described, a pairA of gripping devices for engaging a length of tubing, means for heating a portion of the length of tubing between the gripping devices while the length of tubing is held by said gripping devices, means for effecting relative movement of said devices away from each other axially of the tubing to reduce the cross sectional area of the heated portion of the tubing, means for moving certain of said heating means transversely with.

respect to the tubing, and means for moving others of said heating means in predetermined timed'relation to the said movement of the gripping devices in a direction parallel to the axis l of the tubing while said gripping devices are moving relative to each other to progressively 0 tubing, means for thereafter effecting relative movement of said devices away from each other axially of the tubing to reduce the cross sectional area of the heated portion of the tubing, and means for moving saldheating means in predetermined timed relation to the said movement of the gripping devices'in a direction parallel to the axis of the tubing while said devices' are moving relative to each other to' progressively heat successive incrementsof the 60 tubing.

3. In a machine of the class described, a pair of vertically aligned gripping devices for engaging a length of tubing, means for heating a portion of the length of tubing between the gripping devices while the tubing is held bysaid devices, means for opening and closing'said grip- Y ping devices, the upper of said gripping devices being constructed to permit tubing to pass theretion of the gripping devices and adapted to limit the length of tubing passing through the upper gripping device, and means for reciprocating said gauge plate in a direction axially with re"- spect to the tubing,

4. In a machine of the class described, a-'pair of vertically aligned gripping devices for engaging a length of tubing, means for heating a portion of the length of tubing between the gripping devices while the tubing is held by said devices, means for opening and closing said gripping devices, the upper org; said gripping devices being constructed to permit tubing to pass therethrough by gravity whenr said upper gripping device is open, a gauge plate disposed in axial alignment with said gripping devices at one position of the gripping devices and adapted t0 limit the length Aof tubing passing through the upper gripping device, 'and means for simultaneously reciprocating said gauge plate and heating means vertically with respect to said gripping devices.

5. In a machine ofthe class described, a pair of vertically .aligned grippingdevices for engaging a length of tubing, means for heating', a portionjof the length of tubing between the gripping devices while the tubing is held by said devices, means for opening and closing said gripping devices, the upper ofvsaid gripping devices "at one position oi' the gripping devices and being constructed to permit tubing to pass therethrough by gravity when said upper gripping alignment with said gripping devices at one position of the gripping devices and adaptedl to limit the length of tubing passing through the upper gripping device, means for reciprocating said gauge plate in a-direction axially with respect to the tubing, and means responsive to elevation of said gauge plate-for elevating said adapted to umu; the-,length of tubing passing through the upper gripping device. means for reciprocating said gauge plate in a vdirection .y axially with respect to the tubing, and shaping means on said gauge plate for forming a closed bottomv at the lower end of said tubingt JAKOB DICBHTER.`

device is-open, a guage plate disposed in axial 

